4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

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Season Records: (W-L)
33-21
(Home: 17-7)
40-13
(Away: 17-9)
Upcoming Games:
Apr 07
Apr 09
Apr 11
Apr 13
Apr 14
vs vs at vs at
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
8:30 pm


Projected Starting Lineup:
C
PF
SF
SG
PG
HIBBERT
WEST
GRANGER
GEORGE
COLLISON
Projected Starting Lineup:
C
PF
SF
SG
PG
PERKINS
IBAKA
DURANT
SEFOLOSHA
WESTBROOK


Pacers
Kyrylo Fesenko, getting into wacky hijinks in Point Place, WI, out

Thunder
Eric Maynor, torn ACL, out



Minimally Relevant Video:


Semi-Relevant Video:


Eight Points, Nine Seconds Preview Review:
Tim Donahue: By the Numbers - The Homestretch

Time for another installment of the By The Numbers series? Indiana has a
dirty dozen games left. It’s April, and the playoff race is in full swing, so
let’s look at the big numbers.

31-21

After the win in Washington, Chris Denari mentioned something I had not
realized – the 33rd win of the season for the Pacers guaranteed that Indy
would be .500 or better for the first time since 2006. Good on them.

As I mentioned at the All Star break, the season has been a little uneven.
Indy is only 17-15 after a 16-6 start, but to be anything less than thrilled
with where the Pacers stand right now is more indicative of wildly
inappropriate expectations than any shortfall by the Pacers.

Most impressive, the Pacers are 16-14 on the road. They are one game
away from reaching coach Frank Vogel’s goal of a winning record away
from home. To give you an idea of how big of a deal that is, the NBA
has averaged fewer than 8 winning road teams per season over the last
12 years. The Pacers’ road record is sixth best in the league, and one of
only seven winning road records in the league this year.

9th, 8th

As it stands right now, the Pacers in are in the top ten in both Defensive
(9th) and Offensive (8th) efficiency. Should Vogel’s squad finish the
season this way, it will be the first time since 2004 that the Pacers have
accomplished such a feat.

To further understand how impressive this would be, it should be noted
that this would be only the fourth time Indiana has been in the top ten at
both ends in their 37-year NBA history. Besides 2004, they also did it in
1995 and 1998. In all three of those seasons, the Pacers made it to the
Eastern Conference Finals. That 1998 team, in my opinion, was the best
NBA Pacer team ever.

.579, .362

Those two numbers represent the Pacers’ shooting at the rim and from
16-23 feet according to Hoopdata. This is a mixed bag.

The .579 at the rim is an improvement from the last time we spoke (.556),
and Indiana is no longer dead last in the Association. They have clawed
their way past New Jersey and even Charlotte to stand 28th! Yay! But,
really, they’re still bad at the rim. Roy Hibbert (.557), David West (.560),
and Darren Collison (.531) 40% of Indy’s shots here, and their collective
.551 is worse than any team in the league. Paul George remains strong at
the rim - shooting .638 on the second most attempts on the team (163) –
and he’s joined by Tyler Hansbrough (.633) as the only Pacers hitting better
than the league average .627.

At .362, Indy has creeped out of the bottom five, but they’re still well
short of the .379 league average. David West is back to .470, matching
last year’s sterling percentage. Darren Collison is up to .420, as that little
pull up has become a reliable weapon.

Tyler Hansbrough is still at .340, which I still believe is killing his offensive
game. Last season...CONTINUE READING AT 8p9s


Daily Thunder
Clutch squared: Westbrook and Durant are figuring it out

Ever since “The Altercation,” things have really cooled on the “Russell
Westbrook and Kevin Durant can’t co-exist front.” Mainly because the
Thunder have risen to the best team in the West while Westbrook and
Durant have looked equally spectacular.

They’re the top scoring duo in the league averaging a combined 51.9
points per game. They’ve both scored 40-plus in a game together twice
this season, something no other duo in NBA history has done. Since
the start of 2010-11 season Durant and Westbrook have each scored
20-plus points in a game 70 times, most in NBA. I could go on, but I
think you get it. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are very good.

And yet, there’s this perception. I say “this perception” because I’m
not even sure if I know what it is anymore. Some think Westbrook is
a ball-hog. Some think Durant and Westbrook hate each other. Some
think Westbrook and Durant are locked in a battle for alpha dog
supremacy. Some get locked into rudimentary statlines that explain
nothing about the way Durant and Westbrook play together. Some
just think they don’t play basketball very well together.

But those that have watched the Thunder play this season, they’ve
seen an interesting dynamic. Westbrook and Durant appear to be
getting along very well on the basketball court. Oklahoma City’s
record (37-12) should say enough, but the question is if Westbrook
and Durant can, or will, succeed in the postseason. The spotlight will
be on and every fourth quarter jumper that Westbrook takes will be
criticized, analyzed and scrutinized.

I’m trying to get out in front of that with this. So let’s start with this
stat: In terms of “clutch” scoring, which is defined as the final five
minutes (and overtime) of a game with a margin of five or less,
Durant leads the league with 126 points. Joe Johnson and Chris Paul
are second with 109. Westbrook is fourth with 102. Kobe is fifth is
100. Consider this too though: Durant is shooting 41.1 percent in the
clutch, Westbrook 49.3 percent. (Kobe? He’s at 31.3 percent. Just
wanted to toss that out there.)

The Thunder, who have played a good number of close games, have
scored 277 points as a team in the clutch. Durant and Westbrook have
combined for 228 of them. The Thunder have been one of the best
teams at closing close games, and that’s been largely due to the
success of Westbrook and Durant operating in those moments. They
finished one and two in clutch scoring last season (Westbrook 199
points on 39.1 shooting, Durant 194 on 40.6), but this year, it’s a
much more cohesive, natural attack.

As for the idea that Westbrook doesn’t defer, that’s just incorrect.
Consider this:...CONTINUE READING AT DAILY THUNDER
This is the darkest timeline.
  • adamscb
    Member
    • Mar 2011
    • 761

    #2
    Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

    this is a defensive nightmare. we should put PG on westbrook, and collison on sefolosha. otherwise, westbrook would destroy us.

    Comment

    • TOP
      Member
      • Mar 2012
      • 2473

      #3
      Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

      Copied and pasted from another thread...

      Just looked at the box score from the last time the Pacers and Thunder played, not pretty.

      Glad we'll have West, Hill, Barbosa and PG(starting) this time around. Last time we were starting McRoberts and Rush.

      Don't like the Collison/Westbrook match up. 6'0 160 vs. 6'3 187
      My opinion on the game.

      We've got this though
      "I have never taken the high road, but I tell other people to ’cause then there’s more room for me on the low road."

      Comment

      • Dgreenwell3
        Member
        • Apr 2011
        • 1456

        #4
        Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

        I agree with PG drawing the Westbrook assignment. Not a slight at collison there are probably only3-4 PGs who can actually guard westbrook.

        Comment

        • TOP
          Member
          • Mar 2012
          • 2473

          #5
          Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

          Originally posted by adamscb
          this is a defensive nightmare. we should put PG on westbrook, and collison on sefolosha. otherwise, westbrook would destroy us.
          That might be even worse. Sefolosha should bury jumpers and three's all day if Collison guards him. It's bad that Westbrook has 3 inches on Collison, it would be worse if he's guarding a guy that has 7 inches on him. Might as well not even guard him because he would have no chance of impacting Sefolosha's shots. At least Collison will have defenders backing him up when Westbrook drives. Nobody would be able to help him as Sefolosha shoots over him with ease.
          "I have never taken the high road, but I tell other people to ’cause then there’s more room for me on the low road."

          Comment

          • TOP
            Member
            • Mar 2012
            • 2473

            #6
            Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

            Originally posted by Dgreenwell3
            I agree with PG drawing the Westbrook assignment. Not a slight at collison there are probably only3-4 PGs who can actually guard westbrook.
            Collison would have to be benched then imo. If Collison guards Sefolosha, I'd forfeit.

            Harden also plays a lot of minutes. Then what? Collison is better off on Westbrook than Harden or Sefolosha imo.
            "I have never taken the high road, but I tell other people to ’cause then there’s more room for me on the low road."

            Comment

            • adamscb
              Member
              • Mar 2011
              • 761

              #7
              Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

              Originally posted by TOP
              That might be even worse. Sefolosha should bury jumpers and three's all day if Collison guards him. It's bad that Westbrook has 3 inches on Westbrook, it would be worse if he's guarding a guy that has 7 inches on him. Might as well not even guard him because he would have no chance of impacting Sefolosha's shots. At least Collison will have defenders backing him up when Westbrook drives. Nobody would be able to help him as Sefolosha shoots over him with ease.
              i think this is a case of pick your poison. i would much rather have sefolosha take jump shots than have westbrook driving to the lane at will.

              Comment

              • TOP
                Member
                • Mar 2012
                • 2473

                #8
                Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                Originally posted by adamscb
                i think this is a case of pick your poison. i would much rather have sefolosha take jump shots than have westbrook driving to the lane at will.
                Sefolosha is shooting 46.8% from 3 on the season. That's against guys that are a lot closer to 6'7 than 6'0. I think he'd have a career game taking jump shots if Collison is on him.
                "I have never taken the high road, but I tell other people to ’cause then there’s more room for me on the low road."

                Comment

                • Trader Joe
                  DIET COKE!
                  • Jan 2006
                  • 46892

                  #9
                  Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                  Hill will play a lot of minutes tonight. Probably one of those games where we close with

                  Hill, George, Granger, West, Hibbert


                  Comment

                  • adamscb
                    Member
                    • Mar 2011
                    • 761

                    #10
                    Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                    Originally posted by TOP
                    Sefolosha is shooting 46.8% from 3 on the season. That's against guys that are a lot closer to 6'7 than 6'0. I think he'd have a career game taking jump shots if Collison is on him.
                    i think sefolosha will get open jumpers either way, when westbrook drives by collison and kicks it out to sefolosha, or if collison himself is guarding thabo. not a knock against DC, like an earlier poster said, westbrook's first step is practically unstoppable. i think that collison can do a decent job against him, yes there's a huge height difference, but collison can use his quickness to his advantage.
                    Last edited by adamscb; 04-06-2012, 01:56 PM.

                    Comment

                    • Trader Joe
                      DIET COKE!
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 46892

                      #11
                      Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                      I had no idea the Thunder were the only team in the NBA worse at passing than us. I guess it kind of makes sense though


                      Comment

                      • Trader Joe
                        DIET COKE!
                        • Jan 2006
                        • 46892

                        #12
                        Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                        Guys, Sefolosha averages 5 PPG. I doubt we're that concerned about guarding him. Putting DC on him is a perfectly acceptable solution. The more difficult matchup is the Westbrook/Harden back court.


                        Comment

                        • Trader Joe
                          DIET COKE!
                          • Jan 2006
                          • 46892

                          #13
                          Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                          Originally posted by TOP
                          Sefolosha is shooting 46.8% from 3 on the season. That's against guys that are a lot closer to 6'7 than 6'0. I think he'd have a career game taking jump shots if Collison is on him.
                          Are we talking about the same Thabo Sefolosha who only attempts 1.5 3PG? He's under a strict only shoot if you're open policy. I suppose he could have a career game, but in Thabo's case that is something like actually cracking double digits for once.


                          Comment

                          • Dgreenwell3
                            Member
                            • Apr 2011
                            • 1456

                            #14
                            Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                            Guys, Thabo is strictly in there because they want to keep Harden as the off the bench super scorer. That's it. He's a defender, that's basically it.

                            Comment

                            • adamscb
                              Member
                              • Mar 2011
                              • 761

                              #15
                              Re: 4/6/2012 Game Thread #55: Pacers Vs. Thunder

                              the next issue is how to guard harden. dahntay should be able to slow him down. hill should have no problem with fisher. the only matchup that has me worried is durant. granger can't get frustrated trying to guard the league's 2nd leading scorer, he's gonna get his points no matter what

                              Comment

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